FINGERSTYLE GUITAR LESSONS

Hey, Guys, welcome back to another “Killing Exercises Series.” Today I will show you three killing symmetrical exercises for the left hand to be played in fingerstyle. I reckon you could play them with the pick as well, so they are suitable for electric guitar too, but because I am keener on Acoustic Guitar, I decided to pluck the strings rather than pick them. Let get started!

Why are symmetrical exercises good?

There are many reasons why guitar players like to practice symmetrical exercises. Let me give you three good reasons:

1. They are easy to learn and memorize.
2. They are suitable for beginners and intermediate, advanced guitar players.
3. They work!

I understand that they are beneficial, but a friend of mine said they are boring!

Yes, in a way, symmetrical exercises tend to be quite repetitive and boring sometimes; that’s the reason why I came up with my own version. I like to keep things quite practical, so I am sure you will like them. These exercises are not like the 1234 (boring) combination your friend has been practicing. My symmetrical exercises have different characteristics:

• Musical element: They sound like a little piece, so you have the feeling you are playing something musical.
• Short and practical: I like to keep the exercises quite short. It’s up to you if you want to transpose them up and down the neck. If you feel lazy and keener to play your favorite songs, you can always play the short version of the exercise and go straight into playing some cool songs.
• Speed: You can practice them at your own pace. Start slow, then increase the speed. Make sure you use the same intensity and energy.
• Plucking and Pick: You can practice them with plucking technique (Fingerstyle) as well as picking technique (Acoustic/Electric with the pick)

How to practice.

It would help if you always practiced these exercises at the beginning of your session. You can also use them as a warm-up before a gig. If you want more warm-up exercises, you can check out my other post, ” Three killing warm-up exercises for acoustic guitar.”

What if I can practice for just 20 minutes. Do I have to do them?

Time blocking your session is really important. If you can practice only for a few minutes, I suggest you go straight playing the stuff you like. These exercises need at least 10 minutes, so … you do the math.

How many minutes I have to practice?

You should practice for at least 10 minutes, but I usually go up to 20 minutes if I have time. Stick with one symmetrical exercise per session. Don’t do all of them. Let me show you how to increase the speed so you can have resulted in a few days.

1. Start at a low speed. 60Bpm should be alright if you are a beginner but feel free to adjust the speed based on your level.
2. Practice at that speed for about 5 minutes. If you perform the exercise without mistake, add 5bpm, and repeat 8 times.
3. If you can perform the exercise 8 times with no mistake, add another 5bpm.
4. Do that circle four times to reach 20 minutes’ worth of practice. Do it three times if you have only 15 minutes available.

How many times can I increase the speed?

As much as you want. Remember the rule of “8”. If you can perform the exercise eight times without one single mistake, you can increase the speed. Good Luck.

Let’s get started!

Exercise 1

In this exercise, we are using a 1235 (CDEG) note pattern. Let me explain to you how it works:

• Bar n.1/2: The four notes we are playing are CDEG. In music, we call this pattern 1235. The number 1 is the first degree, C, the number 2, the second degree D, number 3 third-degree E, and number 5, the fifth degree G.
• Bar 3/4: Same pattern 1235 but now starting from the note F; therefore, we will have FGAC.
• Bar 5/6. This time we start with the A note so ACDE
• Bar 7/8: Patter 1235 starting from G … Which notes we have? Leave a comment with the answer.

Make sure you, the right hand, always alternate index and middle finger (i -m plucking pattern).

Exercise 2

In this exercise, we are going to use the asymmetrical pattern on the top strings. The bass note will be played with the thumb. Make sure you always alternate index and middle finger (i-m plucking pattern) to play the top notes. Let’s get into details:

• Bar 1: This is an E minor chord. Notice that the melody is repeated symmetrically on two octaves. The position is quite stretchy, so make sure you place the finger close to the fret wire. The thumb should be straight behind the neck. Right hand always alternate index and middle finger.
• Bar 2: The same phrase descending. Notice that the notes are the same going backward.
• Bar 3/4: Same as bar 1/2
• Bar 5/6: This time, we are moving to A minor chord. The bass note will be played on the 5th string (A note) with the thumb. The position is the same as the E minor but starting from fret 7. Make sure you use the same fingers you have learned for the E minor shape. You will probably need to readjust the position of the thumb.

If you want to play this exercise with the pick (more like an electric guitar), don’t play the bass note and only focus on the top strings. Good luck!

Exercise 3

This exercise is slightly bitted more difficult. We are going to play a G major 7 arpeggio on three octaves. I am sure you gonna love this one. One thing essential: Make sure the left-hand thumb-slide smoothly behind the neck. The right hand will pluck with the index and middle finger throughout.

Thank you very much for your support, guys. Keep practicing and learning!